700 Arrested at Iowa Meat Packing Plant

About 700 workers were reportedly arrested in a meat packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa in the largest raid of its kind in the history of Iowa, according to ICE agent Claude Arnold (See The Des Moines Register article below).

Although management of the Agriprocessors, Inc. plant have banned the news media from the site, the word is that hundreds of the workers reportedly were using other people's Social Security numbers and had entered the U.S. illegally and that nearly 80% of the entire work force were illegal immigrants. According to the Des Moines Register, a person merely referred to as "Source 1" told federal agents that some employees were running a methamphetamine lab in the plant, and were bringing weapons to work.

Conducting Talk Show interviews on this topic is Daniel Imperato, an international businessman and independent Presidential candidate seeking the Libertarian nomination. During your Talk Show interview with Daniel Imperato, he says that the past several Presidential administrations haven't paid proper attention to fixing the food shortage epidemic and the plague of illegal immigrants entering our nation.

Daniel Imperato, a first generation American citizen states, "The effects of the food shortage in the U.S. is not being helped by the onslaught of illegal immigration who are willing to work in deplorable factory conditions where food will be contaminated and legal citizens will lose jobs to them. There is mutual responsibility needed and we have not properly dealt with the past three Mexican Presidential administrations regarding border control and jobs programs. We need to utilize the intelligence and management of U. S. companies to employee U.S. citizens first at home and assist Central and South American countries in building their own factories to be competitive in the world. Instead, immigrants have been lured to the U. S. to become illegal workers in places like the meat packing plant in Iowa that allow them to work illegally and hurt the U.S. food source and employment pool."

Imperato added, "On the other hand the meat packing companies need help since most U. S. workers won't do take the jobs with such conditions as in the meat packing plants. The solution to this dilemma is that the AFL-CIO needs to make exceptions for first time rural workers to become part of the union with a new class of labor to compete with South America and Mexico. This can be a win-win to create jobs including management positions. Corporations can utilize laborers to protect our factories and meat packing plants to provide for the needs and demands of the U. S. citizens. We need to process food for the U. S. first and if there is excess food supply, then we can export it."

ABOUT DANIEL IMPERATO...

Daniel J. Imperato is proof that the American Dream still exists. As a second generation citizen who has lived on the streets of Boston, Imperato put himself through school, ran his first international company at age 23 and eventually ran an international conglomerate. Now as a successful businessman, he is now seeking the Libertarian Party's nomination to the office of President of the United States during its convention later this month.

Imperato is not willing to sit by and watch that same American Dream erode and perish for millions of fellow citizens. He wants to keep the hope and the promise of the American Dream alive by strengthening faith and family. Through his faith, he believes that he can bridge the gap between Americans, start the dialogue that our country needs, and bring people together.

For the past three decades, Daniel Imperato has worked in the areas of telecommunications, commercial office building development, sports arenas, entertainment facilities, shopping malls and consulted for Fortune 500 companies.

Having traveled the globe many times over, Imperato has developed a mutual respect and understanding of the world's cultures and its people. He has a vision for the United States to play a leading role in the international community, through real diplomacy that recognizes divergent cultures, interest, along with leadership styles that are uniquely attuned to the profound challenges globalization is fostering in every nation.

Similarly put, Imperato feels that we need to strengthen our economy and national resolve here at home. Daniel supports a return to fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget. The future financial wellbeing of our nation requires someone who has the discipline to make our government function in a responsible way. Imperato is a man who gets things done and cannot accept America increasingly being second best in commerce or education.

As a responsible citizen, Daniel Imperato has done many things to help better our country and the world. He has selflessly dedicated his time to the African Center Foundation, a United Nations NGO (Non-Governmental Organization), where he know serves as a trustee, and head of the Palm Beach branch. Through the African Center Foundation, Daniel has become a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS which greatly plagues Africa.

Daniel was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 9, 1958. The Imperato's lived in the West End of Boston, and were originally immigrants from Italy. Daniel worked to put himself through school before successfully running his first company at the age of 23 in Israel. Daniel is married to Jan Deborah Imperato, and has a stepson, Joshua. The Imperato's live in West Palm Beach, Florida.

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE MAY BE HELPFUL WITH SHOW PREP:

THE DES MOINES REGISTER/ May 13, 2008

Crowd greets detainees at Waterloo

By NIGEL DUARA, WILLIAM PETROSKI and GRANT SCHULTE
REGISTER STAFF WRITERS

Postville, Ia. - Buses have begun arriving at the Cattle Congress grounds in Waterloo after hundreds were detained in an immigration raid on a Postville meatpacking plant today.

Officials are not allowing media or others near the entrance. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have declined to say how many buses are being used in the raid on the Agriprocessors Inc. plant.

At least 300 people (NOTE: Current reports closer to 700) were arrested during the operation, the largest of its kind in Iowa, said Claude Arnold, a special agent with ICE.

The raid targeted people who illegally used other people's Social Security numbers and were in the U.S. illegally.

According to an affidavit, "Based on information thus far developed in the investigation, it appears, based on 2007 fourth quarter payroll reports, that approximately 76 percent of the 968 employees of Agriprocessors were using false or fraudulent social security numbers in connection with their employment."

The workers arrested so far were interviewed by agents with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Public Health Service.

Public health officials were included to ensure that their humanitarian needs were being met, said U.S. District Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth.

Authorities have released 40 of the arrested employees "on humanitarian grounds" with supervision, pending further proceedings, Dummermuth said.

A total of 16 local, state and federal agencies, led by ICE, joined the investigation that began last October. Among them was the U.S. Marshals Service, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the Waterloo Police Department and the Postville Police Department.

Agents with ICE have received information about immigration violations at the plant over the past two years, according to a federal search warrant made public today. Authorities said they will release more details at another press conference tomorrow morning in Cedar Rapids.

The scene in Waterloo

Crowds outside the Cattle Congress complex in Waterloo continued to grow Monday evening. When the chained gates opened to admit a bus full of detainees at 8:15 p.m., the crowd of about 200 people screamed their support.

Waterloo Police Department Lieutenant M.W. McNamee told protesters that they had to move across the street to the sidewalk directly in front of the Cattle Congress grounds. "Unfortunately there's not a lot of area where you can be. This is not conducive to have a vigil," McNamee said.

Mario Basurto, project coordinator of El Centro Latinoamericano, said the protest was spontaneous and would last until 10 p.m.

Anonymous sources reported in raid warrants

According to search warrants, ICE agents interviewed a former plant supervisor - identified as "Source 1" - in November 2007, who told them that the plant employed foreign nationals from Mexico, Guatemala and Eastern Europe. Roughly 80 percent of those workers were living illegally in the U.S., the supervisor said.

"Source 1" told federal agents that some employees were running a methamphetamine lab in the plant, and were bringing weapons to work. The supervisor confronted a higher-level manager about the drugs, and shortly after was fired.

The supervisors also described an encounter with the plant's human resources manager about three separate Social Security cards from different employees with the same number. The human resources manager "laughed when this matter was brought to her attention," the supervisor told federal agents.

In February 2008, a confidential informant identified as "Source 7," who has worked with federal agents in past immigration cases, detailed several incidents of alleged worker abuse at the plant.

The source, who was lawfully employed at the plant, told authorities that a floor supervisor duct-taped the eyes of an illegal Guatemalan employee and struck him with a meat hook. The blow caused no serious injuries.

"Source 7" asked the Guatemalan to report the incident, but the employee said doing so could jeopardize his job.

In another alleged incident, Source 7 said, a floor supervisor identified as a Hasidic Jew pushed another illegal employee because he did not like the way the employee was moving meat.

A plant employee identified as "Source 11" told authorities that he/she was hired without presenting employment documents or filling out any forms. The worker's first paycheck had a different person's name on it, which was then cashed at another part of the plant.

Undocumented workers were paid $5 an hour for their first three or four months on the job, the employee said, and then received a salary increase to $6 per hour.

Detainees will be processed at Waterloo

The Waterloo Cattle Congress grounds will serve as an intake center, said Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman from Miami who is at the Cattle Congress grounds.

The men will be housed at Estel Hall at the Cattle Congress, but the women will be housed at local jails, she said.

It's likely no one will be at Cattle Congress past Thursday, Gonzalez said.

Earlier today

Four Homeland Security buses with U.S. Immigration and Customs tags on them were at the Postville plant this morning.

The buses, along with a trail of SUVs and vans with Minnesota license plates, arrived at about 11:45 a.m.

Federal agents descended upon this northeast Iowa community at about 10 a.m. today to conduct an immigration raid at the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant.

The ICE agents entered the Postville plant to execute a criminal search warrant for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, said Tim Counts, a Midwest ICE spokesman

Agents are also executing a civil search warrant for people illegally in the United States, he said.

Immigration officials told aides to U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley that they expect 600 to 700 arrests. About 1,000 to 1,050 people work at the plant, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

Chuck Larson, a truck driver for Agriprocessing, was in the plant when the agents arrived. "There has to be 100 of them," he said of the agents.

Larson said the agents told workers to stay in place then separated them by asking those with identification to stand to the right and those with other papers, to stand to the left.

"There was plenty of hollering," Larson said. "You couldn't go anywhere."
When asked who was separated, Larson said those standing in the group with other papers were all Hispanic.

ICE spokesman Harold Ort in Postville did not confirm or deny that anyone had been detained, but went on to say that the children of those detained would be cared for and that "their caregiver situation will be addressed."

"They were asked multiple times if they have any sole-caregiver issues or any childcare issues," Ort said.

He said the two helicopters circling the complex were there to provide EMT support and to watch out for the agents on the ground.

Jeff Schnerbach, a sub-contractor electrician with Viking Electric, said he was on break at 10 a.m. when "200 agents" stringed into the complex.

"They took our statements, asked us where we were from, asked for an ID and let us go," Schnerbach.

Early scene in Postville

Earlier this morning, a helicopter hovered over the scene, and a number of agents formed a perimeter around the Agriprocessors facility. Vehicles from ICE and at least eight cars and vans from the Iowa State Patrol were at the plant. There were also reports of two moving vans at the scene, along with an ambulance and two black Chevrolet Suburbans.

Counts declined to confirm where people who are arrested will be detained. Federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo, but they declined to explain last week whether the property was being prepared for use as a detention center.

Aides to Braley, a Waterloo Democrat, said they have been told that "hundreds" of arrests are expected because the action is more of an "investigation" than an immigration raid, and specific individuals are being targeted for arrest as part of the investigation.

Jeff Giertz, a spokesman for Braley, said immigration officials left the impression that the Cattle Congress site will be used mainly for processing of suspects rather than any long-term detention.

Counts said that each person being arrested would be questioned by ICE and by Public Health Service medical professionals to determine if they have humanitarian issues, including child care giver or medical issues.

"Those interviews will aid ICE in determining whether people will be detained or conditionally released on humanitarian grounds, pending their immigration court appearance," Counts said.

Counts described the events in Postville as a "single site operation." He said he was not aware of any other immigration raids being conducted elsewhere today.

Postville Police Chief Michael Halse said he did not know anything about the raid until 10 a.m. today.

Postville, on the border of Allamakee and Clayton counties, is a community of more than 2,500 people that includes natives of German and Norwegian heritage and newcomers who include Hasidic Jews from New York, plus immigrants from Mexico, Russian, Ukraine and many other countries.

The Agriprocessors plant, known as the nation's largest kosher slaughterhouse, is northeast Iowa's largest employer.

About 200 Hasidic Jews arrived in Postville in 1987, when butcher Aaron Rubashkin of Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood reopened a defunct meat-packing plant with his two sons, Sholom and Heshy, just outside the city limits. Business boomed at the plant, reviving the depressed economy while pitting the newcomers against the predominately Lutheran community.

A University of Iowa professor, Stephen Bloom, wrote a book, "Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America," detailing what happened.

Workers and immigration advocates in Iowa began girding for an immigration raid last week after learning that federal authorities had leased Waterloo's Cattle Congress fairgrounds. Federal officials declined to explain their plans last week, but advocates worried the fairgrounds would be used as a detention center. That's what happened in December 2006, when federal agents took people apprehended in a raid at the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant in Marshalltown to the Camp Dodge military base in Johnston.

The scene in Waterloo

In Waterloo, a helicopter cruised over the Cattle Congress fairgrounds about 12:45 p.m. as a group of about five reporters watched from a parking lot across the street from the main gate.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials in black uniforms were posted at the gate and referred all reporter questions to Tim Counts, the spokesman.

A few touring coach buses were parked inside the gates, along with several ICE vehicles.

Retired University of Northern Iowa professor Rosa Maria de Finlay approached the gate to offer her interpretation services, but she, too, was turned away by an agent.
De Finlay said she has stopped by Cattle Congress repeatedly today, checking the grounds for signs that people were being detained there. She said she saw no buses enter.

"I think the money we're spending on all this is incredible. You and I will never know how much it costs. That money could be used for something else other than this crap, this nonsense," she said.

Register staff writers Jane Norman, Jennifer Jacobs, and Tony Leys contributed to this report.

To schedule an interview with DANIEL IMPERATO, call: 630-848-0750 or fill out the Do-It-Yourself Booking Form.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com

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